Firm suing Reilly gets share of €22.7m fee

Eilish O'Regan and Donal Donovan

A FIRM of architects which is suing Health Minister James Reilly in connection with one of his personal property deals has shared in a €22.7m payout arising from the failed attempt to build the children's hospital at the Mater site in Dublin.

It claims it is owed money for work done on a planned private medical centre in Airside, Swords, north Dublin, which Dr Reilly was involved in with two other doctors in 2007.

The plan, which pre-dated Dr Reilly's appointment as minister, never materialised.

However, information obtained by the Irish Independent shows that the same firm was among the businesses that shared in two separate large payouts for work on the shelved plan to build the children's hospital on the Mater campus.

The entire bill for the failed attempt to build the hospital on the site came to €33m with €6m VAT. Dr Reilly recently opted to build the children's facility at St James's hospital.

PM Group led a consortium to provide business services for the Mater project. The consortium was paid €20.1m. Another €2.6m went to a separate project management services team. It was also led by the PM Group.

Meanwhile, Dr Reilly is taking legal steps to fight the court action by the PM Group.

Documents filed with the High Court show Dr Reilly and his partners in the Airside Clinic in Swords have hired Downes Solicitors to defend the action.